Valve.



A. A. BOWSER.

VALVE.

APPLICATION TLED JUNE 19,1908.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

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2 BHEETS-SHEBT 1.

A. A. BWSBR.

VALVE. APLIOATION :FILED JUNE19,1908. 1,079,104, Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

y the invention.

NTTE sTATn PATEN Trice.,

ALLEN A. BOWSER, 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO S. F. BOWSER &COMPANY,

INCORPORATED, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA', A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

VALVE.

nomina.

To all whom t may] concern Be it known that I, ALLEN A. Bowser, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county ofAllen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in valves and the primary objectof the invention is to provide improved means for holding the valveopen, and improved means for automatically trippingor releasing thevalve to close the same after a predetermined amount of fluid has passedtheretln'ough.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the tripping orreleasing mechanism may be adjusted to vary the quantity of fluiddischarged through the valve.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this characterwhich will be sim ple, durable and cheap in construction and effectiveand etlicient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the featuresof novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of theseveral parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown inthe accompanying drawings, illustrating an ex emplilication of theinvention, and in which-s- Figure 1 is a top plan view of an improvedvalve of this character constructed in accordance with the principles ofthis invention and showing the same applied to a meter. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation ofthe valve. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,showing the valve open. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form ofFig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of Fig. 4. Fig. G a planview of the locking arm. Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of the extremityof the stem with which the locking arm coperates.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in the presentexemplification of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the numeral 10designates the valve casing, provided with the usual openings 11 andvalve seat 12. A cap or closure 13 is adapted to be secured to thecasing 10 by means of suit able fastening devices such as screws orbolts 14 ory the like to close the opening 15 Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed June 19, 1908.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Serial No. 439,398.

therein through which the valve stem 16 passes. A suitable stutling box17 is sup ported by the closure 13 and through which the valve stem 1Gpasses and which forms a guide for the stem on one side of the valve. Avalve 18 is supported by the lower end of the stem and is adapted to beseated upon the seat 12 in the ordinary and usual manner. An upright 19is preferably supported by the cap or closure 13 and extends from somedistance above the casing of the valve, and is provided with a laterallyprojecting portlon 20 which extends over the cap or closure 13. Thisportion 20 is provided with an aperture 21 therein through which theextremity of the valve stem 16 passes and by means of which the valvestem may be guided during its movement in seat mg and unseating thevalve 1S. Supported by the valve stem above the cap or closure 13 andbelow the laterally projecting portion 20 1s a sleeve or collar 22 whichis provided with a shoulder 28, and surrounding the stem is an elasticmember 24, preferably in the form of a coil spring, one extremity ofwhich rests upon the sleeve or collar 22 and the other extremity engagesthe lower face of the laterally projecting portion 20, and this member24 tends normally to hold the valve 1S upon its seat 12. A lever 25 ispivota-lly supported intermediate its ends, as at 26 to the upright 19and this lever is provided with a bifurcation 27 in one extremitythereof and within which the valve stem 16 is adapted to stand. Theother extremity of the lever projects beyond the upright 19 to form ahandle by means of which the lever may be rocked about its point ofpivotal support. When the valve .18 rests upon the seat 12, the loweredge of the sleeve or collar 22 will stand in close proximity to thebifurcated extremity of the lever 25 and will form a shoulder 22 withwhich the lever cooperated. When it is desired to unseat the valve, thefree extremity of the lever 25 may be depressed so as to raise thebifurcated extremity 27 into engagement with the shoulder 221 formed bythe lower end of the collar 22 and a further movement of the lever inthe same direction will unseat the valve 1S against the tension of thespring or elastic member 24.

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the valve open. Asuitable and etli-v cient means for accomplishing this 'purpose l videdwith an inclined face 36 v on the next adjacent tooth.

pivotal support comprises a horizontal arm 28, which is pivotallysupported as at 29 upon a suitable bracket 30 supported by the upright19 and this arm 28 is providedv with an operating handle 31 whichextends for some distance beyond the upright. This arm is located insuch a position that when the valve 18 has been unseated against thetension of the elastic member 24, it may be moved below and into thepath of the return movement of the shoulder 23 on the sleeve or collar22 for maintaining the valve 18 in its unseated position. Projectingbeyond the pivot of the arm 28 is an extension or projection 32 which isadapted to be engaged by suitable mechanism, to be hereinafterdescribed, for

moving the arm 28 about its point of pivotal support and from under theshoulder 23 to permit the valve 18 to be seated by the elastic member24.

Rotatably supported by the bracket 30 is a dial or indicator 33 which isprovided with a handle or knob 34 b means of which the dial may berotated a out its axis and this dial is provided with a plurality ofspaced peripheral teeth 35, eac of which is prowhich latter coperateswith a straight surface or face 37 A series oit graduations 38 whichprogress 'from zero are provided one adjacent each of the pe ripheralteeth 35. A. retaining dog or pawl 39 is pivotally supported by one end,preterably by means of the bolt or fastening device 40, which also formsa pivot for the arm 28, and this retaining dog or pawl is provided withan anti-friction roller 41 journaled to the free end thereof and soarranged as to enter the space between two adjacent peripheral teeth 35of the dial or indicator 33. A suitable elastic member 42 in the form ofa coil spring is provided for holding the anti-friction roller 41between two o the teeth of the indicator. One end of the spring isconnected to a portion of 'the dog or pawl 39 and the other end isconnected to the arm 28 whereby the same spring will serve to hold thedog or pawl in an operative position and also tend-to hold the arm 28-under the shoulder 23 on the collar 22 when the valve 18 is unseated.The dial or indicator 33 is provided with a lug or pin 43 which dependsfrom the lower face thereof and is adapted to engage the extremity 32 ofthe arm 28 to move the arm about its point of and against the tension of.the spring 42 when the dial orindicator 33 is rotated. `l

In use the dial or indicator may be set to permit a predeterminedquantity of fluid to be discharged through the valve when the latter isopen and before the valve is tripped to be closed. This is accomplishedby rotating the dial or indicator by means of the knob lor dial 34 toposition the depending lug or pin 43 a proper distance from theextremity 32 of the arm 28, after which the valve may be unseated by thelever 25 and locked in its unseated position by the arm 28. The valvetripping mechanism may be operated or tripped by any suitablemechanismprovided to coperate therewith which will control the flow of the fluidand in the present exemplication of the invention the valve is shownconnected with a meter, the specific construction and operation of whichlatter forms no part of the present invention. The meter comprises acasing 44 having an inlet and an outlet opening, to one of which,preferably the outlet, the valve casing 10 may be secured. Connectedwith the lneter is a rotatable member 45 and supported by the axle forrotation therewith and for independent rotation with respect to themember 45 is an arm 46, which latter constitutes a tripping elementhaving a constant direction of motion, and is provided with a point orindex 47 adapted to coperate with a series of graduations 48 coperatingwith which is a plurality of indicating characters 49 progressingsuccessively from zero.

A lockin dog or pawl 50 is supported by the arm 46 an is adapted tocoperate with the periphery of the rotatable member 45 and an inclinedface 51 on the arm 46 to lock the arm for'rotation with the portion 45.The arm is provided with an extension 52 which is adapted to engage theperipheral teeth 35 of the dial or indicator 36 which latter arearranged to project within the path of movement of the extension 52 whenthe arm 46 is rotated. The dial or indicator 33 is arranged adjacent theZero indication Aof the graduations 48 of the meter and the pinorprojection 30 is so located with respect to the tooth of the dialadjacent the zero graduation that when said zero graduation standsadjacent the zero graduation of the meter, the arm or lever 28 will bedisplaced to permit the valve 18 to be seated.

The meter may be set to discharge a predetermined quantity withincertain capacity limits. Vhen the extension 52 is moved away from thezero graduation, the antifriction roller 4l on the locking dog or pawl39 will cause the zero tooth of the dial or.

indicator to move over the zero graduation on the meter under theiniuence of the spring 42 so that in order to permit the arm 46 toassume a zero position, it will be necessary for the dial or indicator33 to be moved a partial step of rotation suliicient to trip the valve.

When it is desired to discharge more liquid than the quantity designatedby the indicator of the meter, all that is necessary is to move the arm46 to the predetermined graduation on the meter indicator and thenaxially rotate the dial or indicator 33 so that any one of the nextsucceeding teeth after the zero tooth will stand adjacent the zerograduation on the meter. For example, if it is desired to discharge 105gallons of liquid, the arm 46 Will first be adjusted to the graduation 5of the series 49 of the meter and then the dial or indicator may beaxially adjusted by the knob or handle 34 until the tooth thereof, whichis indicated by the character 1, stands over the zero graduation. Thevalve 18 may then be ppened and the meter started to operate. y ui'ingthe operation the arm 46 will move step by st'ep toward the zerograduation and when it comes in contact with the tooth of the dial orindicator indicated by the character 1, it will move the dial orindicator one step of rotation as the extremity 52 passes the zerograduation of the meter and this operation will cause the zero tooth ofthe dial or indicator to stand over the zero graduation on the meter sothat when the extremity 52 of the arm 46 again approaches the zerograduation after having made one complete revolution, it will again movethe dial or indicator another step of rotation to move the zero toothsufficiently to permit the index 47 to stand over the zero graduation onthe meter and this last step of rotation of the dial or indicator willcause the pin or projection 43 to engage and rock the arm 28 to trip orrelease the valve and permit the latter to be seated. Obviously theamount to be discharged through the valve may be increased by simplyadjusting the dial or indicator 33 to permit the arm 46 to make thedesired number of rotations about theindicator on the meter before thepin or projection 43 will trip the arm 28.

1nl the exempliication of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of thedrawings, the stem 16 is separate from the valve 18, which latter isadapted to be seated upwardly. The' stem 16 is provided with a recess16a in one extremity adapted to receive the extremity of a short stem18EL which projects above the valve 18 and the free extremity of thestem 16 is provided with a reduced portion 16b where it passes throughthe bearing 21 in the laterally1 projecting portion 20 of the upright 19to form a shoulder 16-, The valve 18.A is also provided with a dependingstem 18b which is seated and Imoves loosely within a guide 53 which is.supported by a cap 54 removably secured to the easing 10 below ythevalve seat 12, and an elastic member 5,5, preferably in the form of acoil spring n under compression, surrounds the guide 53 so that oneextremity will rest upon the bottom of the recess 56 in 'the cap 54within which the guide 53 is located and the other extremity of ,thespring has engage nient with the lower face of the valve 18 and tendsnormally to seat the valve 18. The;

opening through the bottom thereof and through which an instrument maybe inserted to engage the lower extremity of the stem 18b to rotate thevalve 18 upon its seat 12 to grind the seat to insure a tight jointbetween the two when the valve is seated. This aperture 57 may be closedby a suitable removable cap 58 and the cap 54 may be provided with aport or passage 59 which communicates with the aperture 57 above theclosure 58 and the recess 56 to permit any liquid which has entered theaperture 57 to be Withdrawn from the aperture as the valve 18 is seated.In this exemplification of the invention the lever 25 is pivotallyconnected by one extremity` to the bracket 30 and this extremity ispreferably bifurcated as at 60 to permit the extremity of the stem 16above the collar 22 to stand within the bifurcation and there may beprovided a suitable projection 61 on the leverwhich is adapted to engagethe collar or sleeve 22 to depress the stem 16 and unseat the valve 18against the tension of the elastic member 55. The arm 28 is preferablypivotally supported by a projecting portion 19a ofthe member 19 and isarranged adjacent the reduced-extremity 16b of the stem 16 vso that whenthe stem 16 is depressed by the lever 25 to unseat the valve 18, aportion of the arm is adapted to project over and within the path of thereturn movement of the shoulder 16c ."on the stem 16 to lock the valve18 open. The elastic member 42 in this exemplification of the inventionis preferably arranged between the adjacent edges of the arm 28 and theretaining dog or pawl 39, each of which is preferably provided with asocket or recess 62 into which one extremity of the elastic member isadapted to bc seated. This elastic member 42 is preferably arrangedremote from the pivot of the arm 28 and the dog or pawl 39 and normallytends to hold the two elements separated so that when the stem 16 isdepressed in the manner set forth, the elastic member 42 will tend toautomatically move the arm 28 in a position to lock the stem` againstreturn movement. The valve in this form of the invention is tripped orreleased in the same manner as in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3, thatis, when the dial or indicator' 33 is rotated,kthe pin or projection@thereon `will engage the extremity of the 'arm 28l to 'move -`the latterabout its pointof pivotal support and out of lenggagement with'theshoulder 1'6c on the stem 16 to release the stem and valve andwhe'nieleased the elasti'c member 55 will force the valve 18 upon itsseat 12, at the same time raising the stem 16 to move the shoulder 16cabove the arm 28 and whenl the stem is in this position the elasticmember 42 will cause the adjacent 'edge of the arm to rest against thestem. It will also be apparent that with this form of the invention thevalve will be provided with a guide on each side thereof, that is, bythe guide 53 on one side, the stuliing box 17 serving as a guide on theother side of the valve thereby preventing the valve from becomingstrained and insuring the proper seating of the valve when the lockingmechanism is released.

In order that the invention might be fully understood the details of theforegoing embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described, butt What l claim as new is 1. ln a measuring valve, the combination of acasing, a valve having a bias'toward closing within the casing, liquidcontrol means comprising tripping mechanism for releasing the valve whena predetermined amount of liquid has been discharged through the valve,said tripping mechanism embodying an element having a constant directionof motion, and means operatively related to the said element whereby thetripping mechanism will be operated to release the valve when theelement reaches a predetermined point in its movement, said trippingmeans embodying means whereby the said element 'may be allowed to passsaid point one or more times at will without releasing the valve.

2. rlhe combination of a valve casing, a

` valve Within the casing, means tending normally to seat the valve,means for locking the valve in its unseated position, means forautomatically tripping the valve when a predetermined amount of fluidhas'been discharged, mechanism whereby the last said means may beadjusted to vary the amount discharged, and means whereby the saidtripping mechanism may be operated.

3. 'llhe combination of a valve lcasing, a valve within the casing,means tending normally to close the'valve, means for unseating thevalve, means for holding the valve unseated, a tripping member', andvmeans whereby the tripping member may be operated to release the valve,the last recited means embodying means whereby said tripping member maybe moved one or more times at will without releasing the valve.

4. rlhe combination-oi:I a valve casing, a valve within the casing, avalve stem for the valve projecting beyond the casing, means' foropening the valve, means operatively related to the stem for holding thevalve open, an indicator dial, means operativelyrelated to the dial fortripping the last said means as the dial is moved to a predeterminedpoint, ymeans for closing the valve when released, and means wherebysaid dial may be moved.

5. The combination of a valve casing, a valve within the casing, a valvestem for the valve projecting beyond the casing, means for opening thevalve, means-operatively related to the stem for holding the novenoavalve open, an indicator dial, means operatively related to the dial fortripping the last said means as the .dial is moved, to a predeterminedpoint, and means for closing the valve when released, said trippingmeans embodying means whereby said dial may be moved one or more timesat will without releasing the valve.

6. The combination of a valve casing, a valve within the casing, a valvestem for the valve projecting beyond the casing, means for opening thevalve, means 0peratively related to the stem for holding the valve open,an indicator dial, means for adjusting the dial, means for holding thedial in its adjusted posit-ion, means operatively related to the dialfor tripping the valve holding means, as the dial is moved to apredetermined point, means for closing the valve when released, andmeans whereby the said dial may be Vmoved against the tension of theholding means.

7. rlhe combination of a valve casing, a valve within the casing, a stemfor the valve projecting beyond the casing, means tending normally tohold the valvel closed, there being a shoulder operatively related tothe stem, a lever adapted to engage the shoulder to unseat the valveagainst the tension of the first said means, a locking member, means onthe stem with which the locking member coperates for holding the valveopen, an indicator, means operatively related to the indicator adaptedto engage land move the said locking member to release the valve whenthe indicator is moved, and means whereby the indicator may be moved.

8. lhegombination of a valve casing, a valve withinthe casing, a stemfor the valve projecting beyond the casing, means tending normally tohold the valve closed, there being a shoulder operatively related to thestem, a lever adapted to engage the shoulder to unseat the valve againstthe tension of the said means, a locking member, means on the stem withwhich the locking member cooperates for holding the valve open, anindicator, means operatively related to the .indicator adapted to engageand move the said locking member to release the valve when the indicatoris moved, and means whereby the indicator may be moved, the thirdrecited means embodying means whereby one or more steps of movement maybe imparted to the indicator without releasing the valve.

9. The combination of a valve casing, a valve within the casing, a stemfor the valve projecting beyond the casing, -means tending normally tohold the valve closed, there being a shoulder operatively related to thestem, a lever adapted to engage the shoulder to unseat the valve againstthe tension ot the first said means, a locking locking member coperatesfor retaining the valve open, an adjustable indicator, means for holdingthe indicator in its adjusted position, yielding means operativelyrelated to the last said means and to the valve locking member forholding said parts in operative position, means operatively related tothe indicator adapted to engage and move the said locking member againstthe tension of the holdingmeans to release the valve when the indicatoris moved, and means whereby said indicator may be moved.

10. The combination of a valve casing, a valve within the easing, a stemfor the valve projecting beyond the easing, means tending normally tohold the valve closed, there being a shoulder operatively related to thestem, a lever adapted to engage the shoulder to unseat the valve againstthe tension of the said means, a locking member, means on the stem withwhich the locking member coperates for retaining the valve open, anadjustable indicator, means for holding the indicator in its adjustedposition, yielding means operatively related to the last said means andto the valve locking member for holding said parts in operativeposition, means operatively related to the indicator adapted to engageand move the said locking member against the tension of the holdingmeans to release the valve when the indicator is moved, and meanswhereby said moved, and embodying means whereby one or more steps ofrotation may be imparted to the indicator without releasing the valve.

11. The combination of a valve casing, a valve within the casing, meanstending normally to close the valve, means for locking the valve open,means for automatically tripping the valve when a predetermined amountof Huid has been discharged, mechanism whereby the last said means maybe adjusted to vary the amount discharged, means whereby the saidtripping means may be operated, said easing having an opening throughwhich access may be had to the valve and a closure for said opening.

12. The combination of a valve casing, a valve within the casing, a stemfor unseating the valve, said stem having a loose engagement with thevalve and projecting beyond the casing, means for moving the stem tounseat the valve, means operatively related to the stem for holding thevalve open, an indicator' dial, means operatively indicator may be 13.The combination of a valve casing, a

valve within the casing, elastic means tending normally to seat thevalve, a stem for unseating the valve, said stem having a looseengagement with the valve and projecting beyond the casing, means formoving the stem to unseat the valve against the tension o1 the saidelastic means, means operatively related to the stern for holding thevalve open, an indicator dial, means operatively related to the dial fortripping the last said means as the dial is moved to a predeterminedpoint, and means whereby the said dial may be moved.

14. The combination of a casing, a valve within the casing, said valvebeing provided with a stem projecting beyond each side thereof, a guidefor one of the stems for guiding and supporting the valve, the stem onthe other side of the valve comprising sections connected forindependent rotation, one of the sections projecting beyond the easing,elastic means tending normally to seat the valve, means for moving saidsection to unseat the valve against the tension of the elastic means,means operatively rclated to one section of the stem for holding thevalve open, an indicator dial, means operatively related to the dial fortripping the last said means as the dial is moved ,to a predeterminedpoint, and means whereby the dial may be moved.

15. The combination of a valve casing, a valve within the casing, meansfor holding the valve open, a tripping member, means whereby thetripping member may be operated to release the valve when said memberpasses a predetermined point, and means for closing the valve whenreleased, the second said means embodying means whereby aportion oit'the latter second recited means Inay be allowed to pass said point oneor more times at will without releasing the valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 13th day of June A. D.1908.

ALLEN A. BOWSER.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. HANDY, J. R. MATLACK.

